What outcome occurs in the reaction of calcium with sulfuric acid?

In the reaction of calcium with sulfuric acid, the primary outcome is that calcium is oxidized to Ca²⁺. When calcium, a metal, reacts with sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), it undergoes an oxidation process. This means that calcium loses electrons and is converted to calcium ions (Ca²⁺). This reaction is characterized by the release of hydrogen gas as well.

The oxidation of calcium can be represented by the following half-reaction:

Ca → Ca²⁺ + 2e⁻

This shows that the neutral calcium atom (Ca) loses two electrons to form a positively charged calcium ion (Ca²⁺). The process is accompanied by the reduction of hydrogen ions (H⁺) from the sulfuric acid, which gain electrons to form hydrogen gas (H₂).

While other outcomes such as the decomposition of sulfuric acid or neutralization can occur with certain reactions, they do not specifically apply to the straightforward reaction of calcium with sulfuric acid, where the primary focus is on the oxidation state change of calcium. In this context, the transition of calcium to Ca²⁺ accurately describes the fundamental chemical change taking place.